Bier pin for hearses



E. L. SCHOFIELD BIER PIN FOR HEARSES Oct. 11, 1938.

Filed 001;. 25, 1956 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 2,132,543 ren PIN FOR H AR'sEs:

Earl L. S-chofield, Freeport, 111;, assignor to Henney Motor Company, Freeport, 111;, a corporation of .Delaware Applicationoctober 23, 1936, Serial No. 107,258

7 2 Claims. This invention relates to a new andimproved bier pin for hearses. A .The principal object of my invention is to provide bier pins forentry in holes in plates mounted 5 on the casket table in a hearseyand constructed each for insertion in anyone of four different positions whereby to hold any sized casket without room for play. In furtherance of this object, the pin body of circular cross-section has a square shank projecting from the, bottom thereof located off center in one quadrant, and this shank is adapted to be entered in a square hole in the mounting plate in any one of four positions of rotary adjustment of the. pin, thereby holding the pin in any one of its four positions of adjustment and positively preventing movement of the casket relative thereto. 7

Still another important object of my invention consists in the provision of a bier pin of molded rubber construction to cushion andsilence the engagement of a casket therewith, while at the same time affording a simple two-piece construction in which the rubber body of the pin is molded onjasquare shaft which projects to. provide the mounting shank. I

A further object consists in the provision of a novel form of bier pin plate in which the holes for placing the pins are utilized as screw holes-in the fastening of the plate to'the'table so that the fastening screws are concealed for good appearance.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany ing drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of a caskettable of a hearse illustrating bier pins thereon made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2is a longitudinal section through one of the bier pin plates, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing a bier pin thereon partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the pin, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the plate, showing the pin in different positions of adjustment.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the casket table 6 is intended for use in a side delivery hearse in which the table is movable forwardly and to either side for loading and unloading and also usually movable rearwardly from the hearse for the same purpose, such hearses being known as the threeway service type. In loading and unloading, pins 1 in the side plates 8 serve mainly as guides. When the casket has been placed on the table approximately centrally, bier pins 1 are entered in plates 9 at opposite ends of the table to serve as stays and prevent objectionable movement of the casket; The plates 8 extend crosswise of the table and are each provided with two holes 10 for reception of thebier pins on opposite sides of the casket. The plates 9 extend lengthwise of the table at the'middle of each end and each has a large number of pin holes Ill provided therein in longitudinally spaced relation to permit setting the bier pins at opposite ends of a casket in different spaced relations to suit requirements for the many different lengthsencountered. The width adjustment afforded by the plates 8 and the length adjustment afforded by the plates 9 are ample to accommodate all larger sized caskets. A center'plate ll hastwo other pin holes ID provided therein in longitudinally spaced relation forwardlyand rearwardly with respect to the middle of the table, whereby to permit placing a bier pin at eitherend of this center plate for abutment with the end of an infants casket while the other endis held by a pin-set in either of the plates 9. This center plate also provides an eyelet IZ'which can be used as a hold-down meansfor a cot, if the undertaker desires to use.

the hearse for an ambulance, whichis frequently done in smaller communities. The corner plates 13 on the table have handles 14 provided thereon to be used in the movement of the table by hand, the table usually having. its power feed mechanism constructed to permit manual operation interchangeably. Now, each of these corner plates has a pair of pin holes 10 inlaterally spaced relation relative to the table to accommodate bier pins therein. .These pins will serve mainly as guides in the loading andunloading of the casket. I There is sucha variation in outside dimensions of caskets that one would have-to provide many times the number of holes Ill shown in Fig. 1, located much closer together, to properly accommodate all sizes, and even then there would be danger of the casket being left free to move back and forth endwise because of inability to place the bier pins immediately alongside the casket. In Van Deest Patent 1,912,741, an adjustable bier pin is shown which can be turned from one position to another in a given hole to locate the pro-" jecting body of the pin in any one of three different positions with respect to the one hole. The bier pin 1 of my invention is adjustable in a similar manner, but by virtue of a different construction permits of four distinct settings with respect to each hole in the bier pin plate. This increased range of adjustability in many cases enables the elimination of play which would otherwise have to be tolerated, with pins having a smaller range of adjustability.

In accordance with my invention, the body portion l5 of each pin is made substantially cylindrical and has a downwardly projecting square shank l6 disposed off center in one quadrant of the circular bottom of the body I5, thus providing four graduated dimensions w, :v, y, and a (Fig. 3), measured from the periphery of the body at 90 intervals to the nearest'side of the shank l6, and accordingly providing four separate and distinct adjustments of the pin in each hole [0, the shank l6 being made to fit in the holes Ill in the plates on the table. The adjustability is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the pin being shown in a full and a,

dotted line position in each figure to illustrate four positions of adjustment of the pin with respect to the one hole in the plate. In these figures the dot and dash lines tangent to the circles representing the peripheries of the pin may be taken as indicating the adjacent end of a casket.

a spring-pressed friction detent to hold the bier pin in place without danger of rattling, regardless of slight wear on the shank or in the holes. It is obvious that when the pin is set in a hole, the rubber body comes flush with the surface of the plate, as clearly appears in Fig. 2, thus leaving no shoulder which is apt to catch on the casket. The pins are easily removable and replaceable, and, due to the use of rubber of medium softness in the body, they are easy to handle, will not pinch the fingers when pressed home, and will not scratch or mar the casket coming into abutment therewith. Incidentally, bearing in mind the fact that most caskets are now of metallic construction, it is important to note the fact that the cushioned engagement afforded by these rubber bier pins is of particular advantage by reason of the sound deadening action. It should be clear that the fluted design of the pins, coupled with the fact that they are made of soft rubber, insures good gripping action, and this action is secured no matter which way the pins are turned. While no limitation should be implied from mention of it, the pin holes 10 are preferably located at one inch intervals and the four-position pins 1 are designed to give one-quarter inch adjustments simply by turning the pins around before inserting the shanks thereof into the holes, as previously indicated.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, attention is called to the circular base 2| provided on the end of each of the plates 8 and 9 of a diameter approximately equal to that of the bottom of the bier pin body. l5, and having the pin hole It] therein located off center in one quadrant to correspond to the location of the shank IS on the pin, whereby to permit placing the pins on the table symmetrically with relation to the plates when the hearse is not in use or is being demonstrated for sale or resale. With the pins set in these end holes, flush with the circular bases 2| provided therefor, they present a much neater appearance.

The plates 8, 9, and II are all preferably secured, at least partially, by screws like those shown at 22 in Fig, 2, entered through screw holes 23 in the bottom of the pin holes l0. In

that way, these fastening screws are substan-.

tially completely concealed and the appearance of the casket table is accordingly enhanced, no unsightly fastenings being visible.

I claim:

1. Casket stay means comprising a pin plate having a series of square holes provided therein in substantially uniformly spaced relation lengthwise thereof, and a substantially cylindrical pin having a square shank portion arranged for entry selectively and detachably in any one of said holes, the shank portion being located eccentrically relative to the circular bottom of said pin and so that the distances measured from the four sides of the shank tothe respective tangents of the circle defined by the bottom of the pin, parallel to the four sides of said shank, are dissimilar, whereby to permit placing the pin in four different positions in any one of said holes with the outer periphery of the projecting portion differently spaced with respect to said hole longitudinally relative to the'plate for the purpose described, the pin being held by its shank against turning with respect to the plate from any position in any one of said holes, the distance between the centers of adjacent holes being approximately the same as the longest of the four dimensions measured from the four sides of the shank of the pin.

2. As an article of manufacture, a bier pin comprising a substantially cylindrical pin body and a square supporting shank projecting from the bottom thereof located off center relative to the circle defined by the bottom and so that the distances measured from the four sides of the shank to the respective tangents of the circle defined bythe bottom of the pin, parallel to the four sides of said shank, are dissimilar.

EARL L. SCHOFIELD. 

